Door latch operating mechanism with weather seal



E- N. JACOB! July 20, 1954 DOOR LATCH OPERATING MECHANISM WITH WEATHER SEAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 31, 1952 July 2% 1954 JACOBI 2,63,97

DOOR LATCH OPERATING MECHANISM WITH WEATHER SEAL Filed March 31, 1952. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 20, 1954 DOOR- LATCH OPERATING MECHANISM WITH WEATHER SEAL Edward N. Jacobi, Milwaukee,,Wis., assignor to Briggs & Stratton Corporation, Milwaukee,

Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application MarchBl, 1952, Serial No. 279,579

8 Claims. 1

:This invention relates to, door latch operating mechanismsof the push button type now used extensively on automobile doors and similar to that of ,my copending application, Serial No. 234,563, filedJune 30,, 1951.

Door latchoperating mechanisms of this type comprise a 100k, body adapted to be stationarily mountedon an automobile door or deck lid, a Sleeve-dike casing constrained to back and forth sliding motion in,a bore in the lock body, and a key actuated lock cylinder rotatable in the casing and projecting from the front of the lock body, which provides-the push button actuator as well as the, means for locking and unlocking the door. Rearward depression ofv the actuator is transmitted to the locking and latching mechanism on the door through an operating lever or shaft projecting vrearwardly into the interior of the door, and rotation of the lock cylinder to an unlocked position rotates the lever or shaft to .-a corresponding position .in which itis cooperable with the latch mechanism to release the latch upon inward depression of the push button, while rotation of the lock cylinder to, .its locked position swings the shaft orlever out of cooperative relationship with the latch mechanism.

, In such push button mechanisms .it is very important ,to seal the mouth of the bore in the lock body against the entry of moisture and other foreign matter, Waterv seeping into the crevice around the push button can freeze inside the bore of thelock body in cold weather and thus greatly interfere with, or even completely prevent, operation of the door latch mechanism, and fine particles of :roaddust getting into the interior of the stationary lock body through this crevice can exert an extremely destructive abrasive action upon the relatively small partsof the push button and lock mechanism.

.I-t has heretoforerbeen proposed, as in my above identified copending application, that a resilient gasket, in the .nature of V a rubber washer or O- ring, be secured immediately inside the mouth of the borein .thelock :body and surrounding the lock cylinder or push button so as to provide a waterproof and dustproof seal which will effectivelybar the entry-of foreign matter into the interior of ,the push button mechanism by way-of this opening. Thissgasketor sealing ring confined between a forwardly facing annular shoulder on the ,lock cylinder and a rearwardly facing annular shoulderzon the lock body, and the. push button return sming,.which urges the lock cylinder forwardl causes. the "sealing ring to be securely clamped between these shoulders and thus to provide :an

ill

2 effective barrier against the entry of foreign matter.

However, as the lock cylinder was rotated either to its locked or unlocked position, the forwardly facing shoulder thereon rubbed against this gasket. If the gasket was made soft enough to provide a really effective weather seal it was also extremely susceptible to frictional wear in consequence of the rubbing action of the lock cylinder flange against its rear surface, and after a relatively short period of use the seal deteriorated and became ineffective to accomplish its purpose. On the other hand, if the sealing member was made of sufficiently rugged material to withstand such wear, it Was not sufficiently resilient to provide an eifective seal.

In my above identified copending application the provision of a light metal washer between the gasket and the shoulder on the push button is disclosed, but while this expedient in some measure overcomes the frictional wear upon the gasket, it of course necessitates an extra part inside the lock mechanism, and, moreover it leaves unsolved another problem created by a weather seal of this type and arising from the fact that excessive turning force still had to be exerted upon the lock actuating key to overcome friction between the washer and the shoulder on the push button. This condition was further aggravated by the fact that the gasket heretofore used was shaped like an ordinary washer or O-ring and very substantial spring pressure was required to effect sufiicient clamping action against the gasket to -cause it to afford a weatherproof seal. As a result of this large spring pressure the latch mechanism was hard to operate, large'manual pressures being required to depress the push button.

With these objections to previous mechanisms of this type in mind, it is an object of this invention to provide in a push button door latch operating mechanism of the character described an effective resilient weather seal member which is shaped to hold itself in firm sealing engagement with the cylindrical side wall of the front end portion of the lock cylinder to thus effectively seal the crevicebetween the lock cylinder and the lock body, while at thesame time requiring only a relativelylight return spring,

Another object of :this invention resides in the provision of extremely simple but effective means for enabling a very soft and resilient gasket to beused as a weather seal in apushrbutton lock of character described while .at the same time preventingxfric ionalwear and er sion of such seal 3 in consequence of locking and unlocking rotation of the lock cylinder.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of a push button lock mechanism of the character described having a resilient sealing gasket which is firmly clamped between cooperating shoulders on the lock cylinder and on the stationary lock body when the lock cylinder is in its locked or unlocked position, but wherein clamping pressure against the gasket is relieved at times when the lock is rotated to thereby facilitate rotation of the lock cylinder and protect the gasket against wear.

Still another object of this invention resides in the provision of unusually simple means for holding a weather seal of the character described in place in a push button type of door latch operating mechanism.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel structure and apparatus substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed in accordance with the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a push button lock mechanism of this invention, viewing the same from the side;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lock mechanism of Figure 1, viewing the same from the top;

Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2 but showing the lock cylinder rotated to a position intermediate its locked and unlocked positions;

Figure 4 is a group perspective view showing the elements at the rear of the lock mechanism in disassembled relation; and

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the plane of the line 5-5 in Figure 1.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 5 designates generally a lock body or look guide, which houses a push button lock mechanism designated generally by 6. The lock body is a unitary cuplike member adapted to be stationarily mounted in any suitable location on a door of an automobile or the like.

While the lock body is generally cylindrical, it has a pair of lateral extensions 1 extending longitudinally along opposite sides thereof and which are stirrup-shaped in cross section. The push button lock mechanism is mounted in a concentric bore 8 opening to the front of the guide and extending back to the rear wall 9 thereof.

The push button lock mechanism includes a sleeve-like casing l2 conforming in cross section to the inside shape of the lock body and thus constrained to axial reciprocation in the body, but substantially shorter than the inside axial length of the lock body. The casing has a rearwardly opening bore 13 and a coaxial counterbore i4 opening to the front thereof and in which a lock cylinder I5 is rotatably mounted. The lock cylinder here shown is of the side bar type, although other well known forms of cylinders may be employed, but in any event the rear 4 of the cylinder seats against the bottom of the counterbore in the casing.

A rearward extension [6 on the cylinder projects through the bore I3 in the casing and through a coaxial hole I! in the rear wall of the lock body, and the extension carries at its rear extremity an elongated radial latch actuating lever l8. The front end portion 19 of'the lock cylinder is accessible at the front of the lock body to receive a key by which the cylinder may be rotated either to a locked or an unlocked position and projects a distance forwardly out of the bore for manual depression as a push button. The locked and unlocked positions of the cylinder are apart and are defined by a radial lug 20 on the cylinder extension which rides in a slot 22 opening to the bore I3 at the rear of the casing and abuts shoulders 23, defining the ends of the slot, at the opposite limits of lock cylinder rotation. 1

The push button mechanism is biased forwardly by means of a pair of return springs 24, the front end portions of which are received in rearwardly opening wells 25 in longitudinal extensions 2'! which extend alon opposite sides of the casing and which correspond in shape with, and fit within, the stirrup-like extensions on the lock body. The return springs react against the rear wall of the lock body and are held centered thereon by having their rearmost coils embrace forwardly projecting tits 28 which are integral with the rear wall and coaxial with the wells in the sleeve. Because the lock cylinder is seated against the bottom of the counterbore in the casing, rearward depression of the lock cy1- inder carries the casing rearwardly against bias of the return springs and, conversely, forward bias of the return springs is imparted to the lock cylinder through the casing.

Inward manual depression of the push button actuates a latch mechanism (not shown) through the latch actuating lever I8. This lever is anchored to the rear of the lock cylinder extension by means of a screw 29 received in a coaxial threaded hole 30 opening to the rear of the extension. The lever is constrained to rotate with the lock cylinder by means of a noncircular projection 32 on the lock cylinder extension which fits into a correspondingly shaped hole 33 in the lever. A flat washer 34 and'a lock washer 35 are interposed between the head of the screw 29 and the body of the latch lever. As the cylinder is rotated by the'key from one of its positions to the other the latch actuating lever [B swings with it through a 90 are. The'latch mechanism is of a known type so designed that it is out of cooperative relationship with the latch lever when the latter is rotated with the cylinder to the locked position thereof, and the latch mechanism cannot be actuated by inward depression of the push button in this position of the cylinder, but when the latch actuating lever is in its unlocked position inward depression of the push button causes the lever to actuate the latch mechanism.

The front end of the guide is covered by an annular bezel 36, preferably of stainless steel or other bright metal, which serves as a trim to enhance its appearance and also serves to clamp in place against the front of the lock body an annular resilient gasket 31. This gasket has a relatively thick outer marginal edge portion 38, while its inner marginal edge portion 39- is relatively thin axially. The inner edge of the gasket snugly engages the cylindrical sidewall of a "bright metal cap 40 which fits over the front end portion of the'lock cylinder, and-the gasket thus cooperates with the capto provide a ood seal whereby foreign matter will be prevented from enterin the interior of the bore of the guide through the crevice between-the bezel and the cap. The rear edge portion of the shelllike cap 40 is turned outwardly to provide a circumferential flange #2 which clamps the inner marginal edge portion of "the gasket against the rear face of the bezel in consequence of forward bias upon the push button by the return spring, and such engagement, of course, precludes forward displacement of the push button-mechanism out of the lock body. Such clamping of the gasket also serves to securely seal the mouth of the bore in the guide against the entry of foreign matter.

It might be mentioned at this point that the keyhole opening in the front of the lock cylinder is closed by means of a shutter, which may be of the type forming the subject matter of my copending application, Serial No. 268,300, filed January 25, 1952, and which cooperates with the gasket to completely seal the internal mechanism of the device.

Heretofore a metal washer was interposed between the fiange on the cap and the resilient gasket so that looking and unlocking rotation of the lock cylinder-would not result in excessive frictional wear on the gasket. But because the instant invention eliminates the necessity for this washer it is possible to employ the above described type of gasket, rather than the previous O-ring or resilient washer type of gasket, and -conse quently a more effective weather seal is provided by reason of the fact that the lip formed by the thin, very resilient inner marginal edge portion of the gasket snugly embraces the cylindrical side wall of the push-buttoncap even when clamping pressure is released therefrom, and the gas hot thus serves to seal the entrance to the bore even at times when the push button is depressed.

To minimize both frictional wear on the resillent gasket the rotational force required to turn the lockcylinder from one of its defined positions to the other, 'clamping'pressure of the flange 42 against the gasket is relieved during locking and unlockin rotation of the lock cylinder by means of cooperating cam surfaces '43 and M on the latch actuating lever and on the rear of the case, respectively. The cam surfaces 43 on the latch actuator comprise forwardly extending indentations or bumps on the longitudinal center iine thereof, spaced from one another at opposite sides of the hole 33 in the lever. Thesebuinps are U-shaped in cross section, and they thus provide cam followers which will smoothly ride up the elongated arcuate ridges M onthe rear face of the guide which-provide the cams proper. These ridges are diametrically opposite one another, and are so disposed with respect to the bumps on the actuating lever that upon initial rotation of the lock cylinder the indentations --on the lever beg-into ride up the tapering faces 45 on {the ends of these :ridg-esand thereby cam the iock cylinder rearwardly against forward bias of the return spring. As the lock cylinder continues to be rotated from one of its defined positions to the other, the cam surfaces continue to hold the lock cylinder in this rearward position, with the flange on the cap sepaa rated from the gasket, and as the cylinder approaches its other defined position the indentations on the lever ride down the other tapering faces of-the cam ridges to return the lock cylinder to its normal forward position in which the gasket is again clamped between the flange and the bezel. To permit effective sealin of the guide bore, even after the resilient gasket has been flattened by long use, the indentations on the lever are spaced a small distance from the rear face of the lock guide in the locked and unlocked positions of rotation of the lock cylinder, being held rearwardly thereof by the engagement of the flange 42 with the gasket. Although the cam means of this invention provide some detent eifect, they do not exactly define the locked and unlocked positions of the cylinder since a small amount of initial rotation of the cylinder'from either of its positions is necessary to engage the cam means, thisplay bein the result of the slight spacing, just described, between the bumps on the lever and the rear-face of the guide in said positions of the lock cylinder.

From the foregoing description, taken together with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent that this invention provides a push button lock of the character described having an unusually efficient weather seal to preclude the entry of foreign matter into the crevice between the push button and the stationary lock body, and that although this weather seal includes a very soft and effective resilient gasket havin a thin inner lip engaging the cylindrical wall of the front portion of the lock cylinder, frictional wear on the gasket is minimized by reason of the fact that clamping pressure of the push button against the gasket is relieved during rotation of the lock cylinder to either or" its two normal positions. It will also be seen that a relatively light return spring may be used in the lock mechanism of this invention because the gasket may be so formed that it isunnecessary to depend upon clamping pressure of the movable flange against it to effect a good weather seal, and in consequence the spring offers less resistance to rearward depression of the push button.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. Latch operating mechanism of the character described comprising: a stationary loci: body having a bore opening to the front thereof; a push button lock axially slidable in said bore, and including a lock cylinder rotatable relative to the body between defined lockedand unlocked positions, said lock cylinder projecting forwardly out of the mouth of the bore to have its front end accessible at the front of the body; a spring for biasing the lock cylinder forwardly; means for precluding axial forward displacement of the lock cylinder out of the body and for sealing the bore of the body against the entry of foreign matter comprisin means on the front of the body defining an annular rearwardly v facing shoulder encircling the front end of the lock cylinder, and a shell-like cap fastened over the front of the lock cylinder and having a radially outwardly extending circumferential thereon behind the annual shoulder on he body and engageable therewith inthe locked and unlocked positions of the lock cylinder in cohse quence of the biasing force of the spring to establish a weather seal around the front of the cylinder; and means for relieving such sealingengagement between said shoulders during rotation of the lock cylinder to thereby facilitate locking and unlocking, comprising cooperating cam means carried by the body and the lock cylinder, normally inoperative in the locked and unlocked po sitions of the lock cylinder and interengageable flange upon initial rotation of the cylinder away from either of its defined positions to cam the lock cylinder rearwardly.

2. In a latch operating mechanism of the type comprising a stationary lock body having a bore opening to the front thereof and a push button lock mounted in said bore and having a key actuated lock cylinder slidable and rotatable relative to the body and accessible at the front end thereof: an annular bezel secured over the front end of the body and surrounding the push button lock; a resilient annular sealing gasket clamped between said bezel and the front end of the body, the beze1 and the gasket being coaxial with the bore in the body; a shell-like cap on the front portion of the lock cylinder, said cap having a circumferential flange at its rear, within the bore in the body, engageable with the rear face of said gasket to preclude forward displacement of the lock out of the body; a return spring reacting between the body and the push button lock to bias the latter forwardly to thus urge said flange on the cap into sealing engagement with the gasket, to thereby effect a seal whereby the entry of foreign matter into the bore in the body is prevented; a member carried by the lock cylinder at the rear thereof and behind the body, said member being constrained to rotation and to axial movement with the lock cylinder; and cooperating cam surfaces on said member and on the rear of the body,

interengageable upon initial rotation of the lock cylinder, for camming the lock cylinder rearwardly during such rotation thereof to thereby relieve sealing pressure of said flange against the gasket and thus facilitate rotation of the lock cylinder.

3. In a latch operating mechanism of the character described: a stationary cup-like lock body having a bore opening to its front, a forwardly facing shoulder defining the rear of the bore, and a hole in its rear; a sleeve slidably but nonrotatably mounted in the bore in said body; a key actuated lock cylinder rotatable in the sleeve to and from a locked position but constrained to axial sliding motion with said sleeve, said lock cylinder normally having its front end portion projecting from the front of the body to be accessible as a push button; a shell-like cap on the front portion of the lock cylinder, said cap having an outwardly extending circumferential flange at its rear, within the bore of the body; a resilient annular gasket secured to the front of the body, coaxial with the bore therein and surrounding the cap forwardly of said flange thereon and engageable thereby; a return spring reacting between said sleeve and the shoulder at the rear of the body to bias the sleeve forwardly and thus urge said flange on the cap into sealing engagement with said gasket; an extension on the rear of the lock cylinder projecting through said hole in the rear of the body; a latch actuating lever on the rear of said cylinder extension, behind the body; and cooperating cam means on said latch actuating lever and on the rear of the body, interengageable upon initial rotation of the lock cylinder out of its locked position, for camming the lock cylinder rearwardly to thus relieve sealing pressure of said flange against the gasket during such rotation of the lock cylinder.

4. In a latch operating mechanism of the type comprising a stationary lock body having a bore opening to the front thereof, a push button lock in said bore having a key actuated lock cylinder slidable and rotatable relative to the body and projecting forwardly therefrom to be accessible at the front of the body, and a return spring yieldingly urging the push button lock forwardly, means for sealing the bore in the body against the entry of foreign matter thereinto, for precluding forward displacement of the push button lock out of the body, and for preventing rattling of the lock in the guide comprising: a shell-like cap on the front end portion of the push button lock, said cap having a radially outwardly extending circumferential flange at its rear, inside the mouth of the bore in the body; an annular forwardly facing shoulder on the front of the body, surrounding the push button lock; an annular bezel secured over the front of the body; a resilient washer-like gasket clamped between said shoulder and said bezel; said shoulder and said bezel having inside diameters substantially larger than the diameter of said cap, and said gasket having an inside diameter such that it snugly embraces said cap, so that the inner marginal edge portion of said gasket provides an unsupported readily flexible sealing lip which provides a good seal around the cap and against which said flange on the cap engages to define the foremost position of the cap.

5. In a latch operating mechanism of the type comprising a stationary lock body having a bore opening to the front thereof, a push button comprising a key actuated lock cylinder slidable and rotatable relative to the body and accessible at the front thereof, and a return spring for biasing the push button lock forwardly: cooperating annular sealing means on the body and on the front of the lock cylinder interengageable under the influence of the return spring to establish a seal around the lock cylinder and closing the mouth of the bore in the body, one of said sealing means being of relatively soft resilient material; and means for relieving sealing engagement between said sealing means during rotation of the lock cylinder to thereby facilitate locking and unlocking, comprising cooperating cam means carried by the lock cylinder and the body and interengageable upon rotation of the cylinder to hold the lock cylinder camined rearwardly and said sealing means axially separated.

6. In a latch operating mechanism of the character described: a stationary lock guide having a bore opening to the front thereof; a push button lock axially slidable in said bore and including a lock cylinder rotatable relative to the guide between defined locked and unlocked positions, said lock cylinder projecting forwardly out of the mouth of the bore to have its front end accessible at the front of the guide; a spring for biasing the lock cylinder forwardly; cooperating annular sealing means on the guide and on the front of the lock cylinder interengageable under the influence of said spring in both the locked and unlocked positions of the cylinder to establish a seal around the lock cylinder and normally closing the mouth of the bore in the guide, one of said sealing means being of resilient material capable of conforming to the sur face of the shoulder on the cylinder; and cooperating cam means carried by the lock cylinder and the guide and normally inoperative in the locked and unlocked positions of the lock cylinder but interengageable upon initial rotation of the lock cylinder away from either of its defined positions to cam the lock cylinder rearwardly to thus relieve sealing engagement between said sealing means and thereby facilitate locking and unlocking of the lock and minimize frictional Wear of said resilient sealing means.

7. In a latch operating mechanism of the type comprising a stationary body having a bore opening to the front thereof and a cylindrical actuator movable in the bore and accessible at the front of the body, said bore having a diameter at its mouth which is larger than the diameter of the actuator so that the wall of the bore, at its mouth, is radially spaced from the actuator, means for sealin the bore in the body against the entry of foreign matter thereinto, comprising: an annular forwardly facing shoulder on the front of the body, surrounding the mouth of the bore; an annular bezel secured on the front of the body over said shoulder; and a resilient Washer like gasket clamped between said shoulder and said bezel and having a relatively thin, radially inner portion extending across the space at the mouth of the bore between the actuator and the wall of the bore to snugly embrace and yieldingly engage around the actuator.

8. The latch operating mechanism of claim 7 wherein the actuator is inwardly movable intothe bore and has a forwardly facing annular shoulder behind the gasket; and spring means reacting between the stationary body and the actuator to bias the actuator forwardly so that the shoulder thereon will engage the radially inner portion of the gasket under sealing pressure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

